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How Do I Open a Canteen on a Building Site?

by Elena
(Dagenham)

Burgundy catering van serving workers on a UK building site

Burgundy catering van serving workers on a UK building site

I looking for same building site to open the canteen.i work before 6 years in canteen with till and i cook.
Now i want to open my own small bussiness.enyone who can help... Elena.
Thanks

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Jul 09, 2026
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by: MobCater

Hi Elena, you are actually starting from a stronger position than most people who write to me, because six years working a canteen with a till and cooking every day means you already have the two skills that trip newcomers up. What you are describing, a canteen serving a building site, is one of the best niches going, so let me talk you through how to get on one.

The first thing to understand is that a building site is private land with controlled access, so you cannot simply turn up. You approach the main contractor or the site manager and ask for permission, ideally early in the project when they are planning welfare for the workforce. It helps to pitch it as a benefit to them: hot food and drinks on site means their people are not wandering off for an hour at lunch. Some sites will let you park your own van or trailer and trade, and many charge no pitch fee, sometimes they even provide the power or the gas. Other sites run a proper fitted canteen and just want someone reliable to cook and serve, so you keep the food takings without buying a unit at all. Either way it is worth asking which model they prefer.

Before you serve a single bacon roll you must register as a food business with your local council, at least 28 days before you start trading. It is free and it is the law, and the Environmental Health Officer will usually want to check your setup first. Get your Level 2 food hygiene certificate too, and sort public liability insurance. It is not strictly required by law, but no contractor will let you on site without it, and they will also want you in hi-vis, through their site induction, and carrying your own risk assessment.

I traded on a large building site myself and it was one of the most reliable earners I ever had. Site workers eat two or three times a day, it is mostly cash, and the same faces come back every morning for their breakfast. The one honest downside is that it is temporary. When the site finishes you move on to the next one, so keep building contacts with contractors as you go.

If you use propane for a griddle, remember the install and the annual gas safety check must be done by a Gas Safe registered engineer, never a DIY job.

Keep going

David

Disclaimer: This is general advice for UK mobile catering. Licensing and registration rules vary between councils, so always check with your local authority before you start trading.

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